Chilean Borders To close Wednesday, March 18th

[eeuunikkeiexpat]

Actually is was announced last week that the borders would reopen on the 22nd.

[hlf2888]

That would be premature imho

[41southchile]

That would be premature imho

When would be the right time? Open them up but with strict controls if need be. Life has to go on.

[hlf2888]

Open with strict controls in a month, after the possibility of medical services being overwhelmed is no longer an issue. Let's not be Italy.

[41southchile]

Open with strict controls in a month, after the possibility of medical services being overwhelmed is no longer an issue. Let's not be Italy.

I dont think anyone is going to be an Italy today, the world is completely different to what it was in January and February, the risk for Chile is minimal it's not really comparable to Italy , never was and still isn't, especially under the current civil emergency status that Chile is operating at already.
No one is going to be traveling for a vacation anymore. Personally I cant see a need to wait another month.

[thisisreallycomplicated]

I did a quick search, and found this:
https://undark.org/2018/12/05/air-pollution-chile/

In Chile, Bounded by Mountains and Smothered by Wood Smoke
Record-setting air pollution arises from traffic, industry, and in some regions, heavy reliance on wood burning.

...

In Chile, the impacts are particularly acute. The United Nations Environment Program estimates that air pollution costs the Chilean health sector at least $670 million annually. This is associated with as many as 127,000 visits to emergency rooms and clinics, and more than 4,000 premature deaths annually, according to the U.N.

Compare that to the numbers of cases, deaths, etc. they claim are caused by c19:
https://www.minsal.cl/nuevo-coronavirus ... -covid-19/
10,832 cases, 147 deaths, as of april 21

If those numbers are accurate wouldn't more lives, jobs, and money be saved by reducing wood smoke?

[FrankPintor]

I did a quick search, and found this:
https://undark.org/2018/12/05/air-pollution-chile/

In Chile, Bounded by Mountains and Smothered by Wood Smoke
Record-setting air pollution arises from traffic, industry, and in some regions, heavy reliance on wood burning.

...

In Chile, the impacts are particularly acute. The United Nations Environment Program estimates that air pollution costs the Chilean health sector at least $670 million annually. This is associated with as many as 127,000 visits to emergency rooms and clinics, and more than 4,000 premature deaths annually, according to the U.N.

Compare that to the numbers of cases, deaths, etc. they claim are caused by c19:
https://www.minsal.cl/nuevo-coronavirus ... -covid-19/
10,832 cases, 147 deaths, as of april 21

If those numbers are accurate wouldn't more lives, jobs, and money be saved by reducing wood smoke?

Well, the combination of Covid and air pollution could be the real problem, this is a heads-up to anyone living in Santiago, Temuco, Valdivia and so on, those cities are bad enough in a normal winter, but this time around... https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52351290

[ghibli]

I'm definitely in favor of reducing the use of wood. I don't go out much in winter because the air is so bad. If people would insulate and more important, make their buildings more air tight, and build hot fires in franklin type stoves, it would be better. But you can't tell people ... hey guys, that smoldering fire built out of junk wood is poisoning your neighbor's kids. The politest response you might receive is "so what?"

It's amazing to me that chilenos can build buildings which are absolutely unmarked by mag 6 or even 7 earthquakes which would level most places, but can't figure out how to efficiently heat them. To FrankPintor - think of how many jobs there are/could be retrofitting for efficient wood free heat.

[thisisreallycomplicated]

Yeah, I don't think it would be too hard to improve the wood smoke problem. Especially compared to what's being done for this virus. We know the wood smoke is a big problem, but this virus? From what I'm hearing, the tests they're doing aren't even specific for covid-19. And even if they were, they probably aren't measuring the viral load to see if there's enough of the virus to have any effect.

[admin]

I don't get the all or nothing opening thing.

open up for a week, partially. let everyone get caught up on everything. close down again for a week or two, and test, test to monitor if there is a resurgence. adjust as needed. rinse and repeat until there is some tolerable control and balance over the virus spread and functioning economy.

but, they need to get a handle on certain things that can never go back the way they were. dirty nasty restaurants for instance. crack down hard on those suckers, and put anyone that does not comply with strict health standards out of biz for good. there are too many crappy ones to be supported anyway now.

the beucracy needs to leave the 16th century. kill the whole notary system. It serves no real purpose on a good day.

eliminate the bank stupidity. put the shit managers balls in a vice and make them scream. then leave them there, and hire some people that have a clue how modern banking systems work.

big chance for chile to modernize a bunch of stuff.

[admin]

so the health minister in an interview dismissed the possibility of opening the boarder soon because of lack confidence in what is going on with the neighboring countries due to lack of testing.

https://www.latercera.com/nacional/noti ... OH56CDAKU/

[41southchile]

so the health minister in an interview dismissed the possibility of opening the boarder soon because of lack confidence in what is going on with the neighboring countries due to lack of testing.

https://www.latercera.com/nacional/noti ... OH56CDAKU/

There is never going to be sufficient testing, either in the region or other countries, the only solution is to mandatory quarantine everyone that comes in , at all the empty hotels in Santiago . If they worried about the neighbors keep the land borders closed to people.